Trekkers, villagers on alert due to leopard sighting near Karnala sanctuary

The recent sighting of a leopard in the Ransai area of Karnala
Bird Sanctuary after a gap of nearly 15 years has led to considerable
excitement among naturalists, but at the same time forest officials are
also cautioning villagers to avoid any unpleasant encounter with the big
cat

| TNN | Updated: Mar 30, 2016, 23:06 IST

MUMBAI: The recent sighting of a leopard in the Ransai area of Karnala Bird Sanctuary after a gap of nearly 15 years has led to considerable excitement among naturalists, but at the same time forest officials are also cautioning villagers to avoid any unpleasant encounter with the big cat.

Since many trekkers and adventure seekers from Mumbai also use these jungle routes via the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, forest guards are also advising them to take adequate precautions.

On March 22, an adult leopard was caught on camera trying to eat a cattle carcass in Ransai, where trap cameras had been placed earlier. Residents of Namachipada, Kalhe, Sai and Ransai villages have been particularly alerted by forest officials as they anticipate human-animal conflict. “We are going from village to village along the areas bordering Karnala, which is hardly 15 km from Panvel city, to advise them not to venture out alone in the night and not to harm wild animals,” said range forest officer, S K Pawar.

“We have asked the villagers to look out for signs of leopard presence — like pugmarks, carcasses of freshly hunted animals atop tree branches among others — and take adequate precautions. In case the villagers have goats or poultry in their houses, it will certainly attract the leopard. But we have also told them that wild animals generally do not attack humans unless strongly provoked,” remarked another forest official in Raigad district.

Meanwhile, a wildlife activist and Sarpamitra member, Anand Madhvi, informed TOI: “Around 40 days ago, we noticed a leopard’s claw marks on a tree trunk at Chirle village, barely 5km from Ransai. We also told the local forest guards about an animal carcass hanging from a tree branch, but not much action was taken then.” Madhvi added since there is now photographic evidence of the presence of a leopard in the area, it is welcome on part of the state forest department to carry out mass awareness programmes to minimize any harm to predators like the leopard.

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